Decoy



9, 1949- I c. KOUBA 2,478,585

DECOY Filed Aug. 5, 1946 3 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LESLIE C.KQUBA ATTORNEYS Aug. 9, 1949. c. KOUBA 2,478,585

DECOY Filed Aug. 5, 1946 s Sheet-Sheet 2 FIG.3

INVENTOR LESLIE C. KOUBA' A T TORNEYS L. C. KOUBA Aug. 9, 1949.

DECOY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 5, 1946 INVENTOR I 5" LE3LIE C- KOUBA AJ'TOPMYS Patented Aug. 9, 1 949 UNITED STES PATENT OF FI -CE.

. nncorr Leslie-(1. Kcuha', Minneanome-Minn.

Applicatibn'fillgtnst 5, 1948; ScriaFNmGSSiM lm'Glai'ms. (Clv43s-3 This invention relates to: decoys. and. particularly to collapsibie decoys such: as: are? frequently used; when hunting: water fowl;

One of theol iects ofthe'inventi'on i'stto provide a collapsible decoy of sheet material which can be folded into a relatively compact: condition. so thaititwill; takeup arnnnimumof space; when not in. use; 7

object of theimrentionisto provideta cullapsihle (m foldable de'coy oii sheet material; wherein; the folded body and. the collapsible head unit. can bemade from a single sheet or material; and: wherein: the body' and head and neck unit can be collapsed into apackage or bundle of minimumsize.

isifurth'er object of. theinvention is to provfd'e a simple yet highly efiicient neck' supporti ng'am rangement for the decoy: I

sun: another" object of the invention is to provtde improved means for" mounting-the deco-y so that ftwillf have a life-likemovement when acted uponby' air currents, a

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the foliowingdescription made in connection: with the accompanying drawings; wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts the views, and,v in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an arm bod ment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of the device in a completely collapsed position:

Figure 4 is a side elevational. view of the decay partially collapsed;

Figure 5 is a front elevational. view of thedevi-ce in approximately the" position of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a front elevation-a1. View; Figure leis a section takenapproximately" on the line 1-4 of Figure 1;.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail: of the neck. supportingstructure;

Figure 9 is a side elevational View of the frame and supporting upright member; 1

Figure 10 is a modification; of the device Shawn" in. Figure 9; r i

Figure 11 is a view of the blank from which the device is made; 7

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the decoy set up in a feeding position; and

Figure 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the forward portion of the structure in Figure 12. The body of the decoy is preferably formed of a thin relatively stifi water-proof sheet material,

2 and: as: mdicatefi: imthe: drawingstitmay be: suitably ornamented to represent the feathers. of; a duck or gooseor. like: The body; the decoyinoludes' a. pain of back sections; H are connested hyra. hinge: or fold: I52: which. extends longitndinal-ly'along theupperhack portion or the. siminatedz figure; Connected by.- a hinge or. fold:

t3 tflf each ofthehack. sections: H1 a: sidesection' Y Ms and. a. loweri'side section; E5 isconnectedto or separated from the sidesection. I14 by means. oi tar-hinge or fold; til. r

' At theforward end of eachcf theback sections it is; a downwardly folded portion. t1: providedby a. v-shapedfold I la; and the material; from which the devi'cais madeisthence hent upwardly along a; straight. transverse fflldz' lr8; to; form example, mentaryneck: sections 1 9:, whichzare connected. by a: fold crease III which. extends. approximatelyto the point 20a: as: shown. in Figure L. Above-the point 20a:-the-. neck section-s; 1a are;- slraped to form head portions which. are. mannected; as: metal staples -22. A portion 23' lies-between the zlcitions or the neckmembers f5 and. they are hinged-1y supported at H Hey a. suitable cicnientw-il-ich;may be: colored-.tol simulate: the eyes of. a wild fowl. Each of the backsectimas H. is

provided-with grommetted apertures 24: and-.thc lowermost side portions. t5- are-prowided with similarly g-rommetted apertures 25.

A. V-shaped fol-d liaa': is formed. across: the base of the neck portipn. and, as shown,, it lies: with-in the: V oi -the fold t'te. and. has a. considerablysharper angle thanfthat. of said fold Ila.

Figure: 9 there is'shown; a; frame indicated,

generally at. 2B. The frame is shown to be formed from ai'loop of wire, the. upper portion. of which is arched int-the form; cat a: wide inverted V as 7' at 21' At'the upper corners, the wire is bent to provide projecting elements 28 which. are prefer; ably directed upwardly and outwardly, and the lower corners of time frame 26 are provided; with and outwardly projecting members 39. The cross member of the frameiais looped as at 3B. to movably receive a stick. or other suitable upright member at having a sharpened 3-2 by means of which. it. can

lhereeudily pushed into the ground. Extending between the sides of the frame 26 is a flexible and preferably resilient element 33 which may be of rubber. The central portion of the element 33 is connected to the upper end of the vertically.

disposed stick 3|. The frame 26 is adapted. to swing about the vertical axis of the stick 3| and the resilient band 33 yieldably permits this swinging but naturally tends to return the frame 28 thence outwardly as at 4| so that it will rest upon the top of the vertical supporting rod 40. This construction permits free rotation of the frame 34 relative to the rod 40. I

In Figure 3 the decoy is shown in its collapsed position. The width of the frames 26 and 34 are such that they will fit within the confines of the folded device, and it will be seen that all parts of the device fold within the widths of the back panels or sections I l to provide a compact knocked-down structure. In assembling the device the back panels are swung away from each other from the position in Figure 3 and they are swung to a position wherein their upper surfaces slant laterally and downwardly. In such position they will lie approximately along the arched upper frame portion 2! of the frame 26. The upper corner projections 23 are placed in the grommetted apertures 24 in the back sections H, and the lower corner projecting members 29 are placed through the grommets in the lower side sections !5. The device is so constructed that there is a slight pull required to lit the lower projecting frame members 29 into their grommets 25. This produces a slight arching or curving of the back sections H, as best shown in Figure 7, and this tension plus the downward and outward direction of the frame projections 29 firmly secures the body of the device on the frame member.

As the body is unfolded from its collapsed position in Figure 3 the neck sections 19 are swung upwardly and forwardly and the small triangular portions If at the forward ends of the back sections ii are swung downwardly as best shown in Figure 8, and at the same time the neck sections l9 will be moved to and supported in a generally upright position as shown in Figures 1 and 8.

The decoy can be made to assume a feeding position such as illustrated in Figures 12 and 13. The base of the neck is spread to a substantially flat condition; then the material is pressed downwardly at the lines of the fold 18a, whereupon the neck will hang at a slight. downward slant as: in Figure 12. Furthermore, when the neck is in this position, a slight wind will cause it to bob in an extremely realistic simulation of a feeding bird.

The device is then setup in the field, and it is preferred that it be headed into the wind. By reason of the resilient pivotal mounting of the frame 23 on its vertical stick 3! the action of the wind will cause the decoy to swing slightly about the stick 3 I. At times it will tend to swing or partially rotate in one direction and then in the other. Also at times the decoy will be held at an angle to the wind, and it will maintain a slightly oscillatory movement which, while not great, will greatly enhance the life-like appearance of the decoy. In addition the flexible and resilient connection 33 between the upper end of the stick 3| and the frame will permit the decoy to rock backward and forward slightly under the action of the wind, thereby further increasing the life-like appearance.

The frame in its support shown in Figure 10 is modified somewhat from the structure in Figure 9. The looped portion of the frame is generally the same, but the pivotal mounting of the frame in its supporting member 40 is such that the decoy is capable of swinging completely around. However, by reason of the particular balancing of the decoy relative to the supporting frame 34 it has been found that the decoy will quarter into the wind and at times will swing to opposite quarters on either side of the wind. This movement similar to that of the frame and support in Figure 9 gives the decoy a life-like active appearance.

It will, of course, be understood that'various changes may be made in the form, details, ar-1 rangement and proportions of the various parts :Zithout departing from the scope of my inven- What I claim is:

1. In a decoy, a sheet of relatively stiff material including a folding body portion and a neck por-. tion, said neck portion having a V-shaped fold joining it with said body portion and extending substantially entirely across the base of said neck portion, and said neck portion having a straight transverse fold therein and lying outside of said V-shaped fold.

2. The structure in claim 1, and said neck portin having a second V-shaped fold substantially entirely thereacross and lying within the V of said first mentioned fold.

3. In a decoy, a sheet of relatively stiff material including a folding body portion and a neck por tion, said neck portion having a V-shaped fold joining said body and neck portions substantially entirely across the base of said neck portion, and having a second V-shaped fold substantially entirely across said neck portion and lying within the V of said first fold, and said V-shaped folds having common apexes.

LESLIE C. KOUBA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

